Kirk Edwards bats for captain Sammy

Bridgetown, Barbados -- Newly-appointed Barbados captain Kirk Edwards has described his West Indies skipper Darren Sammy as a "fighting cricketer who gives his all".

Edwards, one of the West Indies batting successes on the recent Test tours to Bangladesh and India where the side had mixed fortunes, said Sammy needed as much support as possible.

“Sammy is a fighter. He is a cricketer that everybody has a lot of negatives to say. He is always under pressure but I kind of admire the guy for the fact that he still goes out there and gives his all,” Edwards told reporter here at the annual Barbados Cricket Association Christmas luncheon and awards ceremony.

“What else can you ask for from a fellow other than giving a hundred percent effort and fighting for his team each and every time? You can't ask for more than that. It is tough for Sammy and I try to lend my support,” Edwards said.

West Indies won the two-Test series against Bangladesh 1-0 but were beaten 2-0 in the three-Test rubber against India, who also captured the subsequent five-match One-day series 4-1.

Sammy, a 28-year-old St. Lucian, has been criticised by many former cricketers and the media for his handling of the side as well as personal performance in recent months. He took over the captaincy from veteran opening batsman Chris Gayle for the tour to Sri Lanka late last year.

The 27-year-old Edwards said critics should be mindful of the fact that there are several young players in the current West Indies side and they needed time to develop.

“There are a lot of positives. As you could see, we are a fighting team and we are developing a relatively young team. To play the type of cricket we played, I was proud about that. It is all a learning curve. You don't just wake up and be the ultimate Test cricketer,” he asserted.

Edwards was recently appointed captain of the Barbados team for the 2012 Caribbean Twenty20 championship to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Kensington Oval in Barbados from January 9 to 22.

He is to also lead the Barbados team in the WICB's regional four-day championship, which begins February 3.